Lord Warner: My honourable friend the Minister of State (Rosie Winterton) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The United Kingdom presidency hosted an informal meeting of Health Ministers of the European Union on 20 and 21 October chaired by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health.
	The main areas of discussion were:
	pandemic flu preparedness;
	values and common principles in healthcare systems; and
	EU patient mobility.
	EU Health Ministers held an important discussion on pandemic flu preparedness. They dealt with three issues:
	avian flu, where the World Health Organisation stressed that the risk in Europe is very low for the general population;
	seasonal flu, which we are dealing with in the usual way; and
	the risk of pandemic flu.
	The WHO confirmed that there had been no increase in the level of risk for pandemic flu, but of course we need to ensure that we are properly prepared in each of our own countries.
	Ministers agreed to do more to co-ordinate our efforts at European level, and continue to work closely with the WHO, recognising that no country can solve these problems on its own. Commissioner Kyprianou also outlined plans for a preparedness exercise "Common Ground" next month which will be a simulation exercise focusing on communication between key players in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak.
	On values and common principles in healthcare systems, Ministers discussed that although there is much diversity, there is much that unites the systems in terms of their underpinning values and common principles. Ministers agreed that there was a need to address the challenges that health systems face in terms of ageing society and rising costs, while maintaining these common values and principles. Ministers expressed interest in developing a statement on values and common principles. It also represented an excellent example of the EU delivering social justice in a globalised world, a theme that the heads of government would discuss at their informal meeting at the end of October.
	On EU patient mobility, Ministers noted the co-operation that has existed for decades between our health systems, ensuring that workers, tourists and people who have retired to other member states can get access to care should they fall ill. However, there was also a need to clarify the rights and entitlements that patients should expect when they seek treatment in another EU member state. The choice that patients have was an important right but it must be managed in a structured way, taking account of the differences between national healthcare systems, so that both patients and member states are clear about entitlement.
	Ministers considered that work in these areas could be looked at by the public health working group at a senior level, with the idea of a report back to council at a future Health Council.

Lord Warner: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Caroline Flint) made the following Written Ministerial Statement on 28 October.
	The Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the European Union met on 24–25 October and voted on a proposal to authorise food ingredients derived from the genetically modified maize line MON863. As the vote did not result in the necessary majority either for or against the proposal, the regulatory committee procedure for implementing powers requires that the proposal is passed back to the European Commission to adopt the implementing act.
	The Government regret that it was necessary to vote on this authorisation, through a scrutiny override, before parliamentary scrutiny has been completed and before the debate recommended by the European Scrutiny Committee. The United Kingdom had previously supported this authorisation because there was adequate evidence that the necessary criteria for authorisation—namely; safety, consumer information and nutritional quality—had been met. In the absence of a clear majority among member states at that stage, the decision was later referred to the Council with a deadline of three months for a further vote. It is unfortunate that this period coincided with the Summer Recess and it was therefore not possible to complete the scrutiny process before the vote. I wrote to the Chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee on 20 October setting out this position. The Government are, none the less, fully committed to the need for national Parliaments to have proper oversight of EU issues and the subject of the authorisation of food ingredients from MON863 maize will be debated in European Standing Committee in due course.